Re: Stickin' to m' guns

At 11:20 AM 4/8/98 -0400, Susan Pinochet wrote:

>Let's say I make a new site. I'll use a starry sky background with lots of
>planets and galaxies in it [98K]. I'll make all my text bright colors.
>Since they don't show up well against the background, I'll need to make
>them large and bold. . . 

Why is it that graphics must equal bloated pages and bad design? The
function of a design professional is to create web sites that communicate
effectively. Presentation of information is vital to the effectiveness of
that communication. Graphics are an important design tool.  

The example listed in the previous post ridicules the use of graphics by
citing a worst case scenario, combing overstuffed files with extremely poor
taste and bad programming practises. Of course that is poor design. It does
not make a case for simple text only pages. 

Regardless of what the web was originally designed for, it is now a
graphics based medium because that is what viewers want to see. It appeals
to the widest audience. Another example of the same principle is the rise
of the PC: the desktop computer scene was strictly the realm of techies
until the graphical user interface was introduced. The rise of the internet
and every other online service followed the same trend: socially obscure
hobbies for the technologically savvy until graphics were incorporated.

The point is that graphics and layout are used because they help users
understand the information they are viewing. Wall to wall text is difficult
to read, especially on computer monitors which are still incredibly low
resolution compared to paper printing. Without the visual cues to guide the
viewer's eye around the page precious few viewers will actually read what
is there. 

In the end the point is to take the viewers into account. By reducing page
design to the lowest common denominator the page becomes accessible to the
widest *possible* audience, but it will be ignored by most of them. 




________________________________________________________________   
Kevin Dyck				
S T Y L U S   C R E A T I V E - Website Design	
   http://www.styluscreative.ca
   e-mail: kdyck(at)styluscreative.ca
   phone: (604)687-8532

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